A known connector for an optical fiber is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,512,630. This known connector includes an alignment ferrule for encircling an optical fiber. The alignment ferrule has a unitary front end with a conical frustrum shape adapted for aligning an end of the fiber within a complimentary conical cavity of an alignment sleeve. To achieve accurate alignment, precise symmetry of the conical cavity and of the frustrum of the alignment ferrule are required. Symmetry has been achieved heretofore by first forming the conical surface of the cavity to an intermediate shape, followed by abrading the surface to a final shape according to the disclosure of U.S. Pat. No. 4,738,055. The alignment ferrule is first formed to a preliminary shape and then is ground to form a precise frustrum surface on the front end of the alignment ferrule, according to a process disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,721,357.
Because these processes are costly, it is desirable to eliminate them. A previous attempt has been made to form a precisely defined alignment surface on an alignment ferrule without grinding. For example, according to U.S. Pat. No. 4,264,128, fluent material is molded over a rigid insert that partitions the mold and directs the flow of the material to provide precisely defined alignment surfaces.